TRUMP ANNOUNCES THE F-47: THE NEXT US FIGHTER JET BY BOEING
President Donald Trump announced on Friday, March 21st, that Boeing will build the Air Force’s future US fighter jet.
The Pentagon says it will have extraordinary capabilities that exceed the current jets, which would be essential in a potential conflict with China.
However, concerns have been raised regarding the cost and necessity of the program, as the Pentagon is still struggling to deliver the current advanced jet, which is the F-35.
What Is the F-47 Fighter Jet?
On Friday, Trump announced that a new F-47 fighter jet will be secured through an Air Force contract.
The F-47 US fighter jet is the upcoming sixth-generation fighter aircraft to be developed by Boeing for the United States Air Force under the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. The F-47 will replace Lockheed Martin's F-22 Raptor with a crewed aircraft built to enter combat alongside drones.
“They will have unprecedented power,” Trump said. “America’s enemies will never see [them] coming.”
According to Gen. David W. Allvin, the Air Force chief of staff, the new US fighter jet F-47 is, “a monumental leap forward in securing America’s air superiority for decades to come.”
NGAD originated from the 2014 studies conducted by the Pentagon’s emerging technologies arm, also known as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Biden administration’s Air Force secretary, Frank Kendall, ordered a pause in the NGAD program to see if the aircraft was still needed.
Boeing Secures Air Force Contract for the F-47
Boeing secured the Air Force contract for $20 billion to manufacture and engineer the jet. Trump said that the F-47 would be delivered before the end of his presidential term.
“With the F-47, we are not just building another fighter -- we are shaping the future of warfare and putting our enemies on notice," David Allvin said. "This platform will be the most advanced, lethal, and adaptable fighter ever developed -- designed to outpace, outmaneuver, and outmatch any adversary that dares to challenge our brave airmen."
According to Trump, the F-47 has been flying around for five years already. However, details of the US fighter jet have been kept so other countries wouldn’t and can’t copy the design. Trump didn’t specify how much each F-47 would cost, but David Allvin said it would be cheaper than the F-22 Raptor.
"The win is a major boost for the company [Boeing], which has struggled with cost overruns, schedule delays, and execution on other Department of Defense programs," said Roman Schweizer, an analyst at TD Cowen.
About 183 Raptors are currently used, costing $143 million each, according to a fact sheet from the Air Force.
"We've given an order for a lot. We can't tell you the price," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
With the same news Trump delivered, the Pentagon is still producing the current most advanced jet, which is the F-35. Taxpayers are expected to pay more than $1.7 trillion. More than 1,100 F-35s have already been built for the US and multiple international partners.
What to Expect on the New F-47
According to Trump, the F-47 should be the most advanced US fighter jet all over the world.
"We recognize the importance of designing, building, and delivering a 6th-generation fighter capability for the United States Air Force," Steve Parker, who leads Boeing's defense business, said in a statement. "In preparation for this mission, we made the most significant investment in the history of our defense business."
The F-47 jet is believed to be more technologically advanced, even though currently, the F-22 continues to be on top of the skies. The aircraft is designed to be an air-superior fighter for a long-range sensor-shooter's Penetrating Counter-Air (PCA) role.
On top of this, the F-47 will also include AI-powered systems for situational awareness and decision-making. It is not yet specified how many F-47s will be produced.
What It Means for the US Military and Global Defense
With the recent news, there are concerns about the $20 billion cost of the F-47, “$200 to $2 trillion [for F-35s] and now they’re doing another one? When we’re supposed to care about the debt so much that you’ll cut all foreign aid because, after all, you have to take care of your own,” Chris Cuomo of NewsNation said about the new F-47 and federal budget cuts.
On the other hand, if the F-47 US fighter jet were delivered at the end of Trump’s term, it would give the US military an advantage in air combat. It is designed with advanced stealth and next-generation weapons, so the older fighter jets could be less effective.
Although the design has been kept, Trump said, "Our allies are calling constantly," saying that foreign sales could be an option. "They want to buy them also." Other countries might also change and build fighter jets to keep up with the new US fighter jet.
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